Kanza Mata named Defensive player of the year

Feb 27, 2015

(HALIFAX, N.S.) - Atlantic University Sport is pleased to
announce the 2014-15 AUS men's basketball all-stars and major award
winners as selected by the conference's eight head coaches
following regular season play.

Second-year UNB Varsity Reds guard Javon Masters of Kitchener,
Ont. was named the Atlantic University Sport most valuable player
at Friday’s joint men’s and women’s basketball
awards luncheon which was hosted by AUS at the Westin Nova Scotian
in Halifax.

Other AUS major award winners announced during the banquet were
Acadia’s Ben Miller of Winnipeg, Man. who was named rookie of
the year; Dalhousie’s Ritchie Kanza Mata of Toronto, Ont. who
was named defensive player of the year, Memorial’s Noel
Moffatt of St. John’s, N.L. who received the student-athlete
community service award; and UNB Varsity Reds head coach Brent
Baker who was named the AUS coach of the year.

MOST VALUABLE PLAYER: Javon Masters, UNB

Javon Masters, a second-year arts student with the UNB
Varsity Reds, is the Atlantic University Sport men's
basketball most valuable player for the first time in his
career.

A native of Kitchener, Ont., Masters finished first overall in
both AUS and CIS scoring this season with an average of 25.1 points
per game. He led the country in free throws made with 161 and
finished second in the Atlantic conference in field goals made with
158.

He also finished third overall in the AUS in assists with
94.

In addition to being named AUS MVP, Masters was also named a
2014-15 AUS first team all-star.

In just his second year in the conference, he has already left
his name in the AUS all-time record books. He holds the AUS record
for the most free throws made in a single season (215 in 2013-14).
He is tied for second for the most free throws made in a single
game (20-of-26) and he has scored the second most points in a
single season (547 in 2013-14).

Masters finished as the AUS and CIS scoring champion for the
first time last season, averaging 27.4 points per game. He was
named AUS and CIS rookie of the year, an AUS first team all-star
and a CIS second team all-Canadian. He was also a member of the AUS
and CIS all-rookie teams.

This season he led the Varsity Reds to a first-place finish in
the AUS regular season standings – a feat UNB men’s
basketball had not accomplished since 1967.

“It’s been no coincidence that UNB has steadily
improved over the last two seasons since the arrival of Javon
Masters,” said Varsity Reds head coach Brent Baker.
“The Kitchener native's dynamic open court play and the
ability to finish in traffic have garnered him the nation's scoring
title in back-to-back years. Consistency is the hardest thing to
achieve in sport and for Javon to produce as he does on a nightly
basis is truly remarkable in itself. His off season work is what
truly differentiates him from other players.”

Masters will now be the AUS representative for the Mike Moser
Memorial Trophy as the most outstanding player in CIS basketball.
The last Atlantic conference player to win the CIS award was
William Njoku of the Saint Mary's Huskies in 1992-93.

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: Ben Miller, Acadia

Ben Miller, 6-foot-2 guard from Winnipeg, Man., is the first
player from the Acadia Axemen to claim the AUS rookie of the year
honour since the 2009-10 season when former Acadia standout and
last year’s AUS MVP Owen Klassen took home the honour.

Miller started in all 20 games for the Axemen this season. He
finished fourth overall in the Atlantic conference in three-point
shots made, sinking 42.

He averaged 9.3 points per game this season, 4.4 rebounds per
game, and finished 10th overall in total assists with
61.

Miller was also named to the 2014-15 AUS all-rookie team at
Friday’s awards banquet.

“Ben Miller came to Acadia as a highly rated point guard,
and he proved to be all that a more, continually exceeding the
expectations of the Axemen coaching staff,” said Axemen head
coach Kevin Duffie. “He is a tremendous competitor with a
day-to-day work ethic that is top notch. Ben has a great feel for
the game and exceptional court vision, allowing him to make his
teammates better. He has made a seamless transition from high
school to the CIS and has had an impact on both sides of the ball
all season long.”

Miller will now represent the conference as the AUS nominee for
the Dr. Peter Mullins trophy. This award for CIS rookie of the year
has been claimed by a player from the Atlantic conference for the
past two seasons – UNB’s Masters in 2013-14 and
UPEI’s Deontay Smith in 2012-13.

Dalhousie's Shawn Plancke is the only other AUS player to earn
the honour. He was named CIS rookie of the year in 1992-93.

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Ritchie Kanza Mata,
Dalhousie

Dalhousie Tigers guard Ritchie Kanza Mata is the AUS defensive
player of the year. He is the first-ever Dalhousie men’s
basketball player to earn the AUS honour since it was introduced in
2004-05.

The 5-foot-11 Toronto, Ont. native led the AUS in steals with
51. He also posted 61 defensive rebounds this season.

Kanza Mata also contributed 140 total assists this season, good
for second overall in the Atlantic conference, and chipped in 185
total points for the Tigers.

“Ritchie has been our team leader,
especially since the loss of our other co-captain, Devon
Stedman,” said Tigers head coach Rick Plato. “He loves
the challenge of guarding the top guard on every team we face and
when he is at this best, he truly embodies toughness, pressure and
relentlessness on the defensive end which we have endeavored to
make the identity of Dalhousie Basketball.”

CBU's Phil Nkrumah and StFX's Garry Gallimore are the only AUS
players to have been named CIS defensive player of the year since
the inception of the award in 2004-05.

COACH OF THE YEAR: Brent Baker, UNB Varsity
Reds

Brent Baker, in his seventh year at the helm of the UNB Varsity
Reds program, becomes just the second UNB men’s basketball
coach to be named AUS coach of the year.

Former V-Reds head coach Thom Gillespie earned the honour in
2001-02 and again in 2003-04.

This year, Baker guided the Varsity Reds to a first-place finish
in the Atlantic conference with a record of 16-4. It marked the
first time UNB had finished first in the regular season standings
since 1967.

Baker’s Varsity Reds squad averaged 88.4 points per game
while allowing only 77.6. Their team free throw percentage of 79.0
was the highest in the conference and they sunk the most
three-point shots per game, making an average of 9.4.

Baker is an NCCP Level 3 certified coach. Prior to assuming his
role with UNB, Baker coached at the high school level for 18 years
and was the head coach the StFX X-Women’s team. As a
student-athlete, Baker played for the StFX X-Men.

“Coach Baker has reinvigorated our men's
basketball team into a championship calibre program,” said
UNB athletic director John Richard. “With his commitment and
tireless work ethic, our program continues to go north, and I have
little doubt that trend will continue."

Baker will now represent the AUS as the nominee for CIS coach of
the year. StFX's Steve Konchalski (2000-01) is the last Atlantic
conference head coach to win the Stuart W. Aberdeen Trophy as the
nation's top university coach.

STUDENT-ATHLETE COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD: Noel Moffatt,
Memorial

Noel Moffatt of the Memorial Sea-Hawks is the 2015 recipient of
the AUS student-athlete community service award and will be the
Atlantic conference nominee for the prestigious Ken Shields
Award.

A native of St. John’s, N.L., the 6-foot-5 forward
appeared in all 20 of the Sea-Hawks regular season games, starting
in 19 of them and averaging 9.6 points per game.

Moffatt finished first overall in the AUS in defensive rebounds
with 154. His 9.0 total rebounds per game average was the third
highest in the Atlantic conference.

Successful in the classroom as well as on the court, Moffatt is
a fourth-year business student with 3.8 GPA. He is also heavily
involved in his community.

Moffatt started up an athletic clothing brand with a socially
driven mission. The company name is Athlete Aid Apparel and it
provides consumers with trendy, comfortable clothes that represent
that athletic lifestyle.

At the end of every month, the company donates 10 per cent of
their clothing sales to Kidsport NL. Kidsport is a national
non-for-profit organization that helps fund equipment and
registration fees for underprivileged children who are looking to
get involved in sports.

Moffatt also helps lead the annual Terry Fox run every year at
Quidi Vidi Lake. Members of the Memorial men’s
basketball team help participants register for the run as well as
lead them in an active warm up before the run begins.

Additionally, he has volunteered in local half marathon runs
such as the Huffin Puffin race as well as for the NeuroFit program
- a community-based exercise program for people with neurological
disabilities who are trying to become active again.

Moffatt has also been active as an assistant coach for a high
school girls’ basketball team and has worked as a volunteer
referee for local, elementary and annual basketball tournaments for
the past three years.

“Noel has been a fantastic contributor to our basketball
team in many ways,” said Sea-Hawks head coach Peter Benoite.
“First of all, he defines the student-athlete. He is an
academic all-Canadian, and has improved his game to the level to
where he is one of the best rebounders in the league. Noel
goes above and beyond for the team, taking in recruits and hosting
them with his family and offering his house for team meals and pot
lucks. Noel has been a true team player always maintaining his
competitiveness and his drive to succeed. He is also a leader
when it comes to volunteering activities, and his commitment to the
community through his athletic clothing brand speaks to his
philanthropy.”

The last AUS player to win the CIS Ken Shields Award was former
Saint Mary’s standout Harry Ezenibe who earned the honour in
2013-14.

FIRST AND SECOND TEAM ALL-STARS AND ALL-ROOKIE
TEAM

The Atlantic University Sport first and second team all-stars
were also announced Friday, along with this year's all-rookie
team.